Thursday, April 30, 2009

Coming home today, a friend told me of a curious story. He had got a call from George Oundo, aka Georgina. Guy wanted money- if he was not to ‘out’ him.

The friend cursed Georgina away.

And, on returning home from work, he found his domestic help with a strange story. The help was visited by Red Pepper people. They know he has a story about his boss, he was informed. And they were ready to pay well for the story. Which story? The boss’s (homo)sexual escapades.

Georgina, good Christian as he is, (he says he is doing the outing etc for God and Country), has a lucrative side line. Blackmail.

He has blackmailed many. And continues- I have failed to figure out what he is after.

But, besides the blackmail, there is a lot of fear.

Remember the guys in Mbale? The couple that was arrested for being amorous. They are still in jail. On remand, almost a month since the arrests. There is literally no case against them. But public opinion, and politics.

There is a sadder case in Mukono. A seventeen year old was sentenced to life imprisonment, because he had gay sex. Life imprisonment in Uganda means exactly that. No parole. No time out. Life in prison. The boy can only appeal that sentence.

There is another case, in Entebbe. And others.

Suddenly, prison is becoming something that anyone suspected of being gay gets rail roaded to. Doesn’t matter that you may not be gay. Or you may not be guilty. Fact is, us seasoned gay people are kind of too suspicious to be caught in the act. But damn!

I am just thinking of Stephen Langa, that nice Christian man, doing his round on the fm stations, complaining that homosexuals were not being arrested. Well, we are being arrested. And sentenced, to life in prison.

Guy visited me yesterday. His name, his pic was published. He cannot sleep at his house. His LC chairman advised him that residents will lynch him. And a friend that was staying at his house was beaten up. Because of suspicion that he is gay.

He was suicidal. Where is this going to end?

Father Musaala, his career is in tatters. Until he can ‘prove’ that he is not homosexual. His rivals must be happy about that- they did destroy this pretender to the love of god, didn’t they?

By the way, in the same red rug issue in which people were outed was a pornographic 'confession' from dear Georgina. He detailed how he was a wife to a 'popular priest' for over a year, for some money... Didnt require an Einstein to figure out who the 'popular priest' was supposed to be.

But the one thing which amused me about this hysteria was the Pastor Kayanja saga. Apparently, his pastor rivals could not get someone like Georgina to accuse him. So, they are offering money for the confessions. Kayanja is a very influential man. Politically very well connected (which in a way makes him vulnerable!). He found the need to make the accusations New Vision headlines. And then to go to Red Pepper, of all papers! Apparently, his detractors complain that he is not anti-gay enough. That is why they say he must be gay, because he is not anti-gay enough. (The headline in the red rug was Pastor Kayanja reveals his homo history! but like much that that rug writes about, the story was miles away from the headlines. Poor Kayanja!)

I swear, I am not lying. Most of these things are documented, by the Red Pepper, and its sister anti-gay publication, the New Vision.

Actually, it is early days.

Uganda has been homophobic. But not above many other countries in Africa. What started as an anti-gay, Christian seminar to deal with the homosexual agenda has morphed into some tears of pain for many of us. And it is not yet finished.

Following increased pressure from anti gay activists in the country, the Parliament has agreed to allow Ndorwa west MP David Bahati to present a private members bill against homosexuality in Uganda.

A group of activists led by the Stephen Langa of the Family Life Network last week presented a petition to Parliament calling for more stringent laws against homosexuality.

Parliament today granted a motion by Bahati requesting for leave of parliament to enable him introduce a private members bill against homosexuality in the country.

Bahati convinced his fellow MPs that the current laws in Uganda do not adequately address the issue of homosexuality. He said Uganda needs a comprehensive law to fight homosexuality which is reported to be on the increase in the country.

Bahati while commending efforts by religious leaders in fighting homosexuality said it is important that their efforts are complimented by a more stringent law regime against homosexuality, which he described as immoral and unnatural.

While the debate in Uganda has been focusing on whether homosexuality is a learned or natural behavior as claimed by those against and pro respectively, a High Court judgment in December 2008 ruled that all Ugandans whether homosexuals or not are guaranteed the same human rights by the country’s constitution.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

As the issue of homosexuality and lesbianism continue to take big space in the media worldwide, the African Anglican Union has continued to hold onto its so-called conservative stand against same sex unions.

In Kenya, a new Archbishop has also vowed to start where his predecessor had stopped. Eliud Wabukala of Bungoma, who becomes the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya in July, says he will not reverse his predecessor’s opposition to same-sex unions.

This was after Wabukala was elected on April 24 to replace Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, who retires on 30 June.

The issue of same sex union has split the Anglican Communion around the world and many pro-gay activists are rising claiming their rights.

On the other hand, anti-gay groups have also risen to preach their message as they know it according to their faith and beliefs.

In Uganda, Family Life Network has spearheaded the campaign in the country while the group of Christian youth under the umbrella Christian Peace Youth Ministries are holding various seminars in western Uganda and using the media to fight the vice.

Monday, April 27, 2009

This was disturbing me. Couldnt lay a finger on what exactly it was that is not healthy. Got it now. They are perfoming a withch hunt. And the scare word is 'homosexual'

Father Musaala is (or is not) homosexual… Seems the jury is out on that.

But a comedy is ongoing amongst the Pentecostal pastors in Uganda.

I think it was Thursday that I heard the rumour about an accusation leveled against Pastor Kayanja, another of the mega church pastors. I dismissed it. Was kind of too bizarre. Too way out there. For some reason, every enemy Pentecostal pastor is supposed to be homosexual. Don’t, or cant figure out the logic of that. Actually, I think it is the fact that they (the Pentecostals) have built up homosexuality to be the ultimate sin that one can commit. And, with the infighting between these churches, accusing one another of being homosexual is the ultimate. Especially if it sticks.

Oh, we real homosexuals are just collateral damage.

Anyway, Thursday I heard the bizarre story that Kayanja was accused. Monday it is in the New Vision. Front page.

Take time to read and laugh. But these things are pretty serious.

And, before I forget, the Red rug headlines a story from George Oundo that we homosexuals want to kill the poor lad. Apparently, we are not happy at him ripping apart our closets. Don’t really understand what Oundo is about. I suspect that the guy is just plain crazy. Or just loves the attention!

The Police are investigating the alleged kidnap and torture of Chris Muwonge, the personal aide of Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre, in what seems a deepening row between rival Pentecostal (Born Again) churches.

Muwonge testified before the press yesterday that he had been abducted by armed men on the morning of April 18, while returning from overnight prayers, and held for five days.

“As I was picking a boda boda to go home, someone called me by name and said I had dropped my money. When I looked back, the man told me to enter a parked car. If I did not, he warned, the man in the car would shoot me,” the 27-year-old told journalists at the Miracle Centre church.

He said a gun was pointed at him as he entered the car; he was blindfolded and driven away. When the blindfold was removed, Muwonge noted, he was in a bathroom with a TV camera before him.

“My captors beat me while ordering me to look into the camera and testify that Pastor Kayanja had been sodomising boys. I refused. They promised me $100,000 (sh200m) and pocket money amounting to $20,000 (sh40m). They said they could fly me to any country of my choice.”

Muwonge said he was eventually dumped outside Kayanja’s residence in Kawuku-Gaba on Thursday. His head was covered in a plastic bag and his hands were trussed behind his back.

He was discovered by area residents who at first thought he was dead. They alerted Pastor Kayanja’s housekeeper, who notified her boss. Kayanja called the Police who rushed him to International Hospital Kampala for treatment.

The Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba, said they were investigating the incident. “We are taking this very seriously given that it may have security implications. We need to get to the bottom of the matter,” she told The New Vision.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

It has taken some time, but Kevin O'Connor has weighed in. In his usual abrassive style. Doesnt like Ssempa, does he...!

At last a newspaper article has been written by a Ugandan which discusses homosexuality in a sensible way. In “When Christians condemn God’s children during the Easter season” (Saturday Monitor April 11 2009), Bernard Tabaire draws attention to the unchristian behaviour of nasty gay-haters such as Stephen Langa of the Family Life Network and Pastor Martin Ssempa of the Makerere Community Church.

Christianity and homosexuality

As regards homosexuality, to this list of Satan’s sinners, can be added Dr James Nsaba Buturo, Minister of (supposedly) Ethics and Integrity, who recently labelled homosexuals as, “abnormal, unhealthy and unnatural.”

To the Langas, Ssempas and Buturos of this world, we must ask two questions:

Where is your “treat your neighbour as yourself”? Where is your recognition of the undisputable truth that, the world over, somewhere between one in 10 and one in 20 human beings are born genetically homosexual?

I ask these questions not as a homosexual myself, but as a heterosexual. Yes, I like the ladies, and whether you are a black, brown, yellow or a white female, the more beautiful you are, the more sexually attracted to you I will be. And not only that, I have a particular heterosexual taste in women i.e. I especially like tall, slim ladies!

School gayness - normal

The only time I have ever felt sexual feelings towards other males was as a teenager. Most human beings start developing sexual desires when they are too young to have access to the opposite sex. So there is often some sexual experimentation with friends of the same sex. This is a normal and natural part of adolescence and a standard part of heterosexuality. So much of the noise about gay and lesbian behaviour in Ugandan schools is nonsense. Most of these youngsters are just experimenting, and will become heterosexuals as soon as they grow older and their society allows them sexual access to the opposite sex.

A gay Kabaka

However, real adult homosexuals have existed all over Africa throughout history. For example, there has been at least one homosexual Kabaka. According to no less an authority than Pastor Martin Ssempa (The New Vision, June 3 2005, Page 8), in the 1880s, Kabaka Mwanga “was a deviant homosexual who used his demigod status to appease his voracious appetite for sodomy”. Put in more simple English, Kabaka Mwanga had anal sex with his page boys.

Neighbourliness

In today’s Uganda, a percentage of the Ugandans who are nasty gay-haters, and make the most outspoken attacks against homosexuals, are homosexuals themselves. In order to repress and disguise their own natural homosexual inclinations, they feel it important to be seen in public criticising and insulting homosexuals.

When the truth comes out about such people, let us hope they receive more “treat your neighbour as yourself” behaviour from heterosexuals than they themselves were earlier able to give to homosexuals.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Kampala — Following the recent revelation by a self-confessed homosexual, George 'Georgina' Oundo, that schools were the primary recruitment grounds for gay activists, Sunday Vision's Moses Mugalu had an interview with Aggrey Kibenge, the Ministry of Sports and Education's Principal Assistant Secretary and Public Relations Officer. Below are excerpts.

Has the ministry received any reports about the problem of homosexuality in schools?

Yes. The very first report was about a year-and-half ago. It was in the form of an email from a parent outside this country, I think based in the US, who claimed that there had been attempts to sodomise her child, a student at St. Mary's College Kisubi.

She said her efforts to talk to the school administration on this matter had been rebuffed by the school administration, claiming such a thing could not happen in a school like Kisubi.

The parent accused the school covering up the problem, because they have a reputation to protect. I forwarded the complaint to the commissioner responsible for secondary education and asked him to investigate and get back to me. The commissioner reported back that the school administration had denied condoning, or even being aware of the practice, since no case had been brought to their attention.

The commissioner then instituted an independent investigation, which also found nothing to support the allegations. As a ministry, this is the only case we've handled so far. The ministry is against the promotion of sodomy, as some people call it, or homosexuality and lesbianism in schools.

What do you think is influencing students into getting involved in this practice?

I know that young people of school-going age - the adolescents - are at a formative stage where they are keen to try out new things. They are inquisitive about what is happening in the world around them.

Since the world is now one global village, it is possible that they are exposed to cultures and values which are alien to our own culture here in Uganda.

What is the ministry doing to fight the spread of homosexuality in schools?

As part of the ministry's contribution in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we've discussed with students vices like drugs abuse, masturbation, homosexuality and others, which can pre-dispose them to HIV/AIDS.

I have received a number of delegations from different human rights groups - claiming that, by coming out explicitly to fight these tendencies, we're infringing on the rights of some young people, even some teachers. I always tell them, "we as a ministry have no apologies over that because our firm belief is that this is a pervasion of values."

Can you name some of these groups?

I can't recall their names offhand, but some have even published reports criticising our approach. You have heard about the Presidential Initiative on AIDS Strategy for Communication to Youths (PIACY) programme; it's our main vehicle for reaching out to children in schools on matters concerning HIV/AIDS and to promote a safe lifestyle. Through this programme, we've been emphatic on what we consider a perversion of our values and homosexuality is clearly one of those things that we wouldn't want to promote in schools.

But we also know that there are strong lobbies world over trying to promote some of these tendencies. Some of them consider our talking about it and discouraging students from getting involved as a direct attack on them and an infringement on the rights of individuals.

Recently a self-confessed homosexual George 'Georgina' Oundo admitted to recruiting school children into the practice. What is the ministry's reaction to that revelation?

Of course, it's shocking that somebody is coming out to confess that for all this time he's been enticing young people to join the gay movement. And, as you can see, this is a very systematic group with a lot of inducements that have been put out to the young people to join the movement, and he even tells his own story of how he was attracted into movement.

As a ministry, we are not moving out or doing much more than we had already started because, as part of our ongoing programmes, we built the component of life skills into our programmes within the schools - the PIACY programme especially. It's through this programme that we interact with the young people and teachers in schools to discuss what may be considered risky behaviour and good moral values to the young people.

We are working in partnership with various stakeholders, like religious groups, to promote positive behaviour and good moral values among young people.

We have already come up with an acceptable package that incorporates religious, cultural and ethical values.

Oundo's revelation is shocking, but maybe it will inspire us to continue with what we're doing in schools. It adds a new dimension to the outreach programme that we started as a ministry in terms of what to look out for, and what to warn teachers and the young people about.

Q: There are allegations that the problem is mainly prevalent in Catholic-founded schools. Is that true?

A: I wouldn't say so, much as I've told you that the one single case that has been officially registered with us is from Kisubi, a Catholic-founded school. I wouldn't use that as a basis to generalise that the problem is predominantly in Catholic Church-founded schools.

I know that if such a problem exists, it would be more prevalent in boarding than in day schools.

Q: Why?

A: Because in boarding schools young people are confined in an environment for a very long time. Under such circumstances, a vice like homosexuality or lesbianism can very easily find fertile ground. Day schools don't offer the same opportunity, since after school, students return to their respective homes. So where would they do it from, on the way, or at home? I think the problem is largely within boarding schools and not schools associated with a particular faith.

Q: The other allegation is that homosexuality is more rampart in single sex schools...

A: Possibly. You know as young people grow up, there are various ways of expressing oneself in that form. And even when these relationships may not grow into sexual relationships, there are ways in which young people in mixed schools interact and as a result that excess energy has a way of being let off, which may not be the case within single-sex schools.

Q: Some parents are concerned that some school heads are not doing their work; leaving students on their own. Then there's the issue of dormitories being congested. Do you think those two factors might be contributing to the spread of homosexuality in schools?

A: They would, if the school administrations fail to fulfil their responsibilities. As a ministry, we expect the school administration to put in place a leadership system to guide and supervise all the operations within a school. They consist of administration, the head teacher, teaching staff and non-teaching staff.

All these are part of the team around these young people to guide their growth and development. Should there be any laxity on the part of any of them certainly the intensity of some of these weaknesses that are being raised will increase. But, to me, it's a shared responsibility so parents shouldn't leave it to the schools because I believe that bad influence exists a lot more outside the school.

Q: Has the ministry come across the so-called 'children toolkits' which Oundo claims are circulated into schools by the gay and lesbians coalition?

A: No, but I've read and was recently contacted by a journalist about a publication put out by UNICEF into schools. They were allegations that the UNICEF publication had materials promoting that kind of vice and I told him as a ministry we didn't have any idea about that publication.

Q: There are allegations that homosexuality movements are putting a lot of money into such ventures to promote the vice. Does the ministry monitor sources of funding for private schools?

A: Our monitoring is at the level of registering schools. Before any school is granted a licence to operate, there are certain conditions that must be met. One of them is to provide information on the source of funding and even details about the school bank account to establish whether the proprietor has the capacity to run it.

Of course, none of them would, I assume or presume, willingly surrender information that "we're being financed by this group or the other". So the opportunity is very slim for the ministry to establish the funding sources apart from the information that's availed to us.

Q: Should we blame poor remuneration of teachers, especially those under UPE and USE, for the spread of the vice in schools? To make ends meet, many teachers start other businesses on the side or part-time with several other schools, leading to a lapse in supervision and opening a window of opportunity for those promoting gay activities.

A: I think from time immemorial the remuneration of teachers has always been a point of concern, for not only the teaching profession but also even us the ministry. Historically, teachers have been poorly paid in relation to other public officers (civil servants). And I know that the Executive has explained that it's a question of what the economy can support at a given point in time.

Bishop Christopher Senyonjo of the church of Uganda has denied allegations linking him to homosexuality.

Senyonjo says the Church of Uganda Archbishop Luke Orombi has done a lot in making all Ugandans believe that Senyonjo is a homo.

Senyonjo says he simply supports homosexuals to have rights in the church of Uganda. Some of the rights Senyonjo wants homos to enjoy in the church include getting a chance to preach and get recognized seats in the church.

Senyonjo says if he was a homosexual, he would not have a wife and children. Senyonjo started supporting homos in the church of Uganda in 2002 which made Archbishop Orombi to fire Senyonjo from Church of Uganda administration.

But Bishop Senyonjo insists that homosexuals should have rights just like any other human being before God.

The High Court in Kampala last December also ruled that all Ugandans irrespective of their sexual orientation have equal rights and freedoms.

-------

Mbale Case

On 8th. April. 2009 , Two men Brian Padde and Fred Wasukira (aka) Namboozo Margrete suspected to be gay were arrested and held at Mbale Police station on allegations of public immorality and homosexuality. They stayed in Police cells until the 17th of April 2008, they were taken to court and charged of having carnal knowledge of a man against the order of nature Section 145 (a) of the penal code a sentence that carries a punishment of life imprisonment, they are on remand at Maluku Prison in Mbale, and was be tried before the chief justice on Tuesday, 21st April , Will keep you updated as we get access to court files on this matter

Background:

Sexual Minorities Uganda – SMUG, visited Mbale and learnt that Fred Wasukirawho is commonly known as Namboozo Margrete is business man in Mbale town who owns a bar and several houses in Mbale . On the night of 7thApril 2009,the two were witnessed in a romantic mood at a bar in NamakwekiMbaledistrict and according to thePolice officerwe talked to, thetwo were calling each other by names“darling , sweetheart”,we were told that from the bar Fred and Brian proceeded to their house where they were followed by residents, who alerted area local councils and the Police.They were caught kissing and cuddling at their house. Police and area local councils picked them up and took them to Mbale Police station,

Where they were held until the 17th April. 2008. At Maluke Prison we were not allowed to visit the prisoners saying it was not a visiting day, however we confirmed that they are on remand at Maluke Prison in Mbale.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Started from MakerereUniversity. Bombo Road, through the main part of the city. To Parliament.

No. I was not there. Just watched bits and pieces of it on TV.

Makerere is the seat of anti-gay activistim in Uganda. For the moment, I guess. And why is that? Martin Ssempa (PhD)… it is his current, official seat of office. We were recently invited for a discussion about sexual orientation there, and people were enthusiastic. Till someone reminded us of what happened at the MedicalSchool in 2008. A similar discussion was arranged. Gay activists were invited.

It was a farce.

The Quaran and the Bible were the texts of reference. It was no discussion, but a very rowdy town hall. The gay activists ran out. Literally, in fear of their lives.

Can a debate be held in this atmosphere?

Not a debate.

Don’t know how many people were at the demo. I think it was less than 100. Clever camera angles to get a good view of the numbers, but it just didn’t seem to be that many… But I am biased. So, maybe they were more.

And cars, vehicles with postures of every imaginable abuse of us homosexuals- to kind of exhibit the demonstrators anti-stand. Ssempa was interviewed, carrying a banner, waving it and dancing in the street. A demonstration against homosexuality. And he spat.

[What is it with Ssempa and spitting? I have seen the suited gentleman spitting when he talks about homosexuality on talk shows… A personal emphasis on how bad we are???? He spits. Looks comical, but interesting. His mind take on it all]

What was the objective of the demonstration?

Not sure. To show the world that Uganda rejects homosexuality? To put it on the political front seat? To deliver some thousands of signatures to parliament demanding that a new, tougher law against homosexuality is passed by that august house.

A tougher law. That seems to be the anti-gay agenda for 2009. A tougher law.

The current law, criminalization of the sexual act, one can get up to life time imprisonment. It does not criminalize being gay. It does not criminalize working for homosexuals. Those facts irk Nsaba Buturo enough for him to do something about it. Once he said Uganda should outlaw being gay. (Not being homosexual. But gayism…! Being out and proud.)

The anti-gay activists are unhappy that current laws are not strong enough. They are too weak. Too few prosecutions are made. Too little time is spent on this moral problem, which is taking over Uganda. Remember the guys in Mbale? The ones who were arrested over Easter

Well, the political situation didn’t allow what should have been a routine release. They are still in prison. On remand…

PS, still playing my usual role of victim. That is what my detractors accuse me of. Will not stop me documenting what is happening.

Activists against homosexuality in Uganda stormed parliament on Tuesday protesting against the practice and demanded a probe into the practice in the country.

The activists who were holding banners denouncing the activity were led by the Family Life Network in conjunction with religious leaders.

The groups led by the Executive Director of Family Life Network, Mr Stephen Langa while handing over their petition to the Deputy Speaker,Ms Rebecca Kadaga said the Parliamentary select committee should also assess the extent of the damage homosexuality has caused to children and Ugandans.

“The serious threat that homosexuality poses to the stability and survival of the family and the social fabric of the nation has come to light in the recent past. This threat is real and has the potential to destabilize the country socially, politically and health wise,” Mr Langa said.

The petitioners said that former agents of homosexuality have told them how they use coercion and manipulation to recruit unsuspecting innocent children and students into homosexuality and lesbianism.

“These groups have a clear and long term strategy to influence every sector of society to impose their deviant values on the whole society,” reads the petition in part.

Mr Langa said the homosexuals under the group Sexual Minorities Uganda spend huge sums of money to recruit University students and those in secondary schools into homosexuality. They did not give details.

“It has been appalling and disgusting to witness the audacity of homosexual and lesbian groups and activists operating freely in the country with total disregard and disrespect of our law which up to now criminalises homosexuality,” reads the petition.

The petitioners demanded that the government amends the Constitution to openly prohibit homosexuality, bisexuality, trans sexuality and other related practices.

“Parliament should also put in place measures that would ensure that no organization or person teaches things that would fall in the arena of family and sexuality without the approval of the ministry of Education,’’ she said.

Ms Kadaga said she would allow a motion to be moved on the floor of Parliament next week on the matter.

The petitioners moved around town with posters denouncing homosexuality.

Those that participated in the demonstration included university students, representatives from Church of Uganda, the catholic church, the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, traders and born again pastors; Martin Ssempa and David Kiganda.

Members of civil society organizations (CSOs) have today petitioned Parliament, calling for a select committee to investigate the impact of homosexuality in Uganda and to pass stern laws to punish people involved in acts of homosexuality.

The petition, signed by over 50,000 Ugandans, was presented to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, by the Executive Director of Family Life Network, Stephen Langa.

Langa, who was accompanied by Pastor Martin Ssempa, Deputy Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Musisi and other civil society members, notes that homosexuals have continued to roam the country freely promoting the vice yet homosexuality is illegal according to the Constitution and the Penal; Code Act.

He says that the homosexuals have penetrated into schools and distributed reading tools that promote the vice, citing United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) which was recently put in the spotlight for distributing a book that promotes homosexuality without approval from the Ministry of Education.

Langa revealed that the CSOs have submitted a protest letter to UNICEF expressing disappointment in their actions and have called upon them to apologize to Ugandans and also retrieve the books that were distributed to schools in about 30 districts.

Deputy Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, commended the organizations for their solidarity against homosexuality, adding that Parliament will look into current legislation to ensure that they are strengthened to penalize acts of homosexuality.

Kadaga promised to push for the amendment of Article 31 of the Constitution which prohibits homosexual marriages. Langa had earlier noted that the article prohibits gay marriages but not the actions.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Nine Senegalese men who had been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for homosexual acts were set free Monday after winning an appeal of their convictions.

In a packed courtroom in downtown Dakar, the appeals court pardoned all nine defendants and overturned charges of committing unnatural acts and criminal conspiracy.

Biram Sassoum Sy, who led the defense team, says the men are completely cleared of any crime or wrongdoing and the case will not be pursued. When they were apprehended, arrested and sentenced, he says the law was broken at every step. The trial, he says, is invalid and they are free to go.

Most of the defendants worked for HIV/AIDS programs targeting men who have sex with men. They were arrested at the home of a prominent gay activist in December.

Sy says the police went to the defendant's house after neighbors tipped them off. The attorney says police arrested the men without a warrant and extorted a confession through bullying and harassment.

Senegalese law prohibits homosexual activity but requires that the suspect be caught in the act. A search warrant is also necessary if police are to enter a private home. Sy says the original judgment was hasty and emotional, and correct legal procedure was not followed.

The maximum penalty for homosexual activity is five years. The sentencing judge in this case added another three years for criminal conspiracy. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission in Cape Town said no other African country has handed down such a severe sentence.

Despite the positive outcome of the appeal, AIDS activists in Senegal are concerned about the effect the trial will have on HIV programs serving men who have sex with men.

Daouda Diouf, director of community-led HIV programs at Enda Tiers Monde - an international non-profit organization based in Dakar, says AIDS work with homosexuals will take time to return to the level it was at before. He says the trial has created a lot of fear and the people working with this community feel threatened. It will take time to build up trust again, he says, so they can conduct HIV/AIDS activities without fearing for their safety.

Diouf says that if HIV is not controlled in vulnerable groups like the homosexual community, it will be impossible to manage the HIV epidemic in Senegal. These men, he says, are key players in the country's fight against HIV.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Because, he or she is very well versed in the Conspiracy Theory called the Homosexual Agenda. You remember that theory- the one that we homosexuals are conspiring to take over the world, come 20something. And that we are on course.

To prove his or her cause, anon brought out a ‘book’, which proves everything.

I was surprised. I am a homosexual. And I am a homosexual activist. ahem, a gay activist. When I say that I have never attended any ‘homosexual agenda’ workshop, he/she rubbishes me. I cant tell the truth. Because I am homosexual.

Apparently, I must have read this text. And, it says such and such things.

Sorry friend. I am a homosexual. Gay. And I have never read that text for us homosexuals to take over the world!

But the book is published. Argues the anonymous one. And, it details the gay agenda. So, I must have read it.

Gosh, why do you insist on persecuting me? Why do you insist on forming your Conspiracy theories and then force feed me to ‘accept’ what you believe? Does being a homosexual mean that I don’t know what I believe? (Oh! I know, that is what you believe. That just because I am gay I left leave of my senses.)

You have always denied this. So tell me whether the blueprint for 'Ovehauling Straight America' written by Marshall Kirk and Erastes Pill is something you have seen before. If so, how can you describe Christian efforts to counter that strategy as homophobic? gug, the Truth matters. You know ths which is why you are always seeking information.

Marshall and Kirk state,

"We have sketched out here a blueprint for transforming the social values of straight America. "

They go on to propose a strategy that includes manipulating the media and via the media, the general public. The language is all about deception, for example,

" In the early stages of any campaign to reach straight America, the masses should not be shocked and repelled by premature exposure to homosexual behavior itself. Instead, the imagery of sex should be downplayed and gay rights should be reduced to an abstract social question as much as possible. First let the camel get his nose inside the tent--only later his unsightly derriere!"

The Table of Contents makes it clear this is an operations manual;

Contents

1. Talk About Gays and Gayness as Loudly And Often As Possible

"The principle behind this advice is simple: almost any behavior begins to look normal if you are exposed to enough of it at close quarters and among your acquaintances. The acceptability of the new behavior will ultimately hinge on the number of one's fellows doing it or accepting it."

Perhaps the idea of gays 'recruiting' straights is in context now?

2. Portray Gays As Victims, Not As Aggressive Challengers

"In any campaign to win over the public, gays must be cast as victims in need of protection so that straights will be inclined by reflex to assume the role of protector. "

3. Give Protectors A Just Cause

4. Make Gays Look Good

5. Make The Victimizers Look Bad

"At a later stage of the media campaign for gay rights-long after other gay ads have become commonplace-it will be time to get tough with remaining opponents. To be blunt, they must be vilified. "

Are Pastor Ssempa and Stephen Langa being vilified by any chance?

6. Solicit Funds: The Buck Stops Here

Getting On The Air, Or, You Can't Get There From Here

Start With The Fine Print (Using the Print Media)

Visual Stage 1: You Really Oughtta Be In Pictures (TV Advertising)

Visual Stage 2: Peekaboo Advertising

Visual Stage 3: Roll Out The Big Guns

Format A For Familiarization: The Testimonial

Format B: The Celebrity Spot

Format C for Victim Sympathy: Our Campaign to Stop Child Abuse

Format D for Identification with Victims: The Old Switchero

Format E for Vilification of Victimizers: Damn the Torpedoes

Format F for Funds: SOS

The Time Is Now

There you have it. It has now been published as a book.

If you really believe in 'live and let live', let the Christians defend the way of life that is subject to the onslaught descrbed in 'Overhauling Straight America."

Talk about queer logic indeed!!!!!!

Ok, I am trying one more time.

Dear anon, despite being gay, I am not super human. I am not, have never claimed to be, and will never claim to be, a super human. I don’t know of any homosexual agenda. I am very serious. I don’t.

I would dearly love to accuse all Christians of a Homophobic agenda. Happily, I know this is not true.

I know my agenda. It is to make sure that homophobic Christians like you stop treating me like rubbish. I have elaborated that elsewhere on this blog.

I cannot, and will never claim to be responsible for any and all books, and blogs, written by people of homosexual bent.

(are your authors gay? You might be crucifying me for something that a person like Scott Taylor wrote! He has written things like the Pink Swastika which claim to prove the homosexual agenda, and clearly dont... shame, shame, shame)

I am not Shakespeare. I am not Oscar Wilde. I am not Michelangelo. I am not Leonardo da Vinci. (Damn, maybe I should claim that I am! I mean, I should claim some keenship to these great homosexuals, shouldnt I?)

How can I be? I am only human!

Why do you continue blaming me for other people’s thinking? Even if I think they may be spot on, I just find it suspicious that for your own reasons you try to force feed me their thoughts, however palatable!

As for justifying Ssempa, Langa, and Orombi’s homophobic campaign with logic to resist this homo terror, you will have to think that through. Go ahead, and out reason yourself. I don’t think you are so deficient intellectually to see some of the glaring holes in your reasoning.

See, the problem is yours. I don’t seek to be understood. I don’t want pity from you. I seek, and demand, that you stop your hate mongering. Very different from pity search, that.

I don’t seek to ‘Overhaul Straight Uganda’. Damn, Uganda was bent before, and it is still bent. If you don’t believe it is, take a look at the Red pepper expose. We are here, and we are gay Ugandans. But making our country gay is the least of our worries. We seek to have less Christian churches paint us as demons and child abusers. We seek to teach people like you that despite being homosexuals, we are human beings. That we are not paedophiles, we are not evil, we are not animals, or any of those things you accuse us of. We seek to be treated as fellow Ugandans. Not better. No extra, or better things than other Ugandans. Just that you stop heaping all the countries myriad problems on us.

That is all we seek anon. To be treated, and accepted, as fellow human beings.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The red rug was at it again. A list of the ‘Uganda’s most important homos’ in the Sunday version of the pepper. With a promise to have something ‘more’ next week. And, a nasty confession. Porn, 3 1 1, of dear Georgina Oundo, (George now), of his sexscapades with a ‘Popular Priest’. I think that is a not so opaque reference to Father Musaala… But I might be mistaken!

Was I there? Why should I say?

Want to know one guy who doesn’t mind saying he featured in Sunday’s Red pepper? He is here… Afrogay! Me, I would rather have you guessing. Why? Why not!

The main story is nothing more than a recycling of the old story. Yeah, when we were outed about a year ago. But there are a few changes. In the grammar!

I didn’t like it.

Granted, with the popularity of ‘homo exposes’ in the Ugandan press, it is not the first time, nor will it be the last time. And of course there are attendant problems to all this ‘publicity’. Deniability is paramount, but at the same time, our employers and significant others are very concerned when it comes to exposes by dear Christians of us homosexual sinners. (They don’t want to eat with us. So, they expose us so that no one eats with us sinners…)

It is Saturday evening. I debated whether or not to show my face in public. My lover convinced me it was no big deal. Just go, and show my mug. And anyone have a problem, well, to hell with them.

So, I went to my favourite pub. And, found that most other kuchus had also gravitated there. Showing there faces.

Oh, the red rug was pretty explicit. Many of us are recognizable. Enough, and this is a small community. And of course, homosexuals are a favourite topic for gossip. But, many of the guys and gals were at the pub. Many more than I expected.

Gallows humour, that was the staple.

Those who featured in the expose are the ‘Top 40’, the Famous Ones.

It is a mark of accomplishment. So, the greeting was, ‘Congratulations, you made it into the Top 40’!

But nothing could hide the anger, and the sense of community. We were together to take strength from one another. We have been exposed to the merciless gaze of hate of a homophobic society. We were, and are, hurting. There is little that we can do, but we can brave it out, and give strength to one another. We don’t know what the actual fall out will be, individually, on a person to person basis. Or, to the community. There were some photos, this time, too. As if the need was that it was necessary to sheer up the believability of the red rug. Just a few photos. But enough.

I left the bar feeling high. On liquor and knowledge that we kuchus are resilient enough to come through even this…

Oh, we shall come through.

And, for our enemies. Just remember that the fires which you are lighting to burn us will temper us. We shall come through it, face the demons that we fear, and still be what we are. Stronger. Funny that because we are backed into a corner, we are made more capable just because our avowed enemies are so ignorant and illogical in their uptake of what life is!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

This is the kind of love that this sinner would rather do without. The love of Ssempa, Buturo, Langa, Orombi, and various others. Christians, who hate the sin of homosexuality, but love us homosexuals.

Matter of fact, I have been set off by some anonymous commentor on the blog. He or she was supporting Buturo, that he is against the ‘spread of homosexuality’ but not homosexuals. Poor Christian, needing to disguise hate for love.

I think it is the bare faced hypocrisy that touches me. I don’t mind a person saying he hates me. Me, as in a homosexual. I am what I am. Someone may say that he hates me because I am black or a nigger. I will shrug it off. I don’t love everybody. Hell, I am also prone to prejudice!

But when someone puts a knife in me, and starts splitting hairs on how the hate that he or she shows is in truth love, I see red.

Ok, fact is, I see it as a chance to turn that knife into his or her face and twist it, a little, and more than a little! Ssempa, the anti-gay Ssempa who loves us so much that he believes we should get HIV…! Why? Because, if, God forbid, we were allowed to have the knowledge to stop ourselves from getting HIV we would just be ‘promoting homosexuality’. And you know what, the sin of promoting homosexuality is so heinious that it is important for all Christians to prevent others from commiting it. It is worse than making sure that fellow human beings get HIV because they are homosexuals. Poor Christians indeed! I thought he had stopped reasoning like that, but apparently he is continuing... The 'representative' of some American Right activists...!

I can quote the number of times, the vitriol that has poured out of the mouth of Minister for Ethics and Integrity in Uganda, Nsaba Buturo. He wants us out of the country, we are worse than animals, immoral, etc, etc. The words that pour out of the gentleman’s mouth, the hate speech is so un-Christian that many people are shocked that he says all ‘in the name of Jesus’! But he does, all in the name of Jesus.

See, in Uganda, nothing is too bad for homosexuals.

Listening to Stephen Langa and his friends from America, I was stuck by how hate filled this can all be. They have one premise. Homosexuality and homosexuals must be evil. Starting from they manufacture lies, half truths, conspiracy theories, and others. All of these are ‘proof’ that homosexuals are evil. I am galled by the people who go ahead and believe it all. Why do they believe? Because homosexuals are evil. So, what is there not to believe?

Someone stated in a comment that although in the US, homosexuals are 5% of the population, they commit 30% of the child abuse. Is it true?

I don’t know the figures on child abuse in the US, but when I see that kind of assertion, I immediately suspect that it is not true. But, someone does believe it. And why do they? Why do they believe that kind of thing? Because they have to. They have this image of me the homosexual as so evil that anything that is bad is easily blamed on me. Their hate has to be justified. They cannot believe that a homosexual cannot be good. No. Never. Why not? Because he or she is a homosexual!

Sad, isn’t it?

George Oundo, and his ex-gay friends, have been going around 'outing' people on radio and television in Uganda. They did it under the good Christian help of Ssempa, and Langa, and the 'Family Life Network'. Listening to Oundo, you would be struck by how much venom and hate he was spitting, frothing against his gay friends. Was that love? No. It was poison. Hate. But this was a 'young christian' who was being encouraged in his new expression of love to 'out' gay people. Listening to him, I wondered how Ssempa and Langa could even associate with this naked hate. It does mean something to trumpet that someone is Christian, doesnt it? Well, maybe it does.

But why do Christians hate us so much?

See, I told you that I am also subject to prejudices. But, forgive me. It is Christians who are persecuting me. I ask to be left in peace, they throw stones and hammers, and bibles and other things. The hate speech that is coming out of their mouth is in the name of their being Christians. Am I wrong to paint all Christians with the same tar brush?

There are Christians who are gay. (Course, Orombi does not believe that Gene Robinson is a Christian. But that is an internal matter for them, and I don’t belong to that club… What I know is that both are Christians…!) And there are others who take it upon themselves to attack the hate speech that the Ssempa’s preach. Like Desmond Tutu.

Sadly, it is a human failing, choosing out a small, minority group that can be bullied and hated and thrown to the lions. We always forget, that they are also humans. It is by an active act of thought that we root out this kind of prejudice. That we make it irrelevant. Or, like I do, we start wondering why others don’t see what we see!

Robbery Report: Update on Kampala Taxis
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You remember, don’t you, that in the recent past we had taxi robberies in
Kampala. I wrote about it here.
Now, the law-enforcement people have come down har...